Prince William is reportedly looking to sell off a fifth of his Duchy of Cornwall estate over the next 10 years in a £500million move – and royal expert Jennie Bond explains exactly why

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Prince William in Cornwall earlier this week (Image: Hugh Hastings/PA Wire)

Prince William’s radical new move shows he is “putting his money where his mouth is” and could be a sign of things to come, according to an expert.

It has been reported that the Prince of Wales is looking to sell off a fifth of his Duchy of Cornwall estate over the next 10 years in a £500million move. He looks set to sell 20 per cent of the portfolio and use the money to invest in tackling the housing and nature crises.

In the past, William told how he didn’t want to be a “traditional landowner” and in recent months has spoken about how change is on his agenda – especially when he becomes King.

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William helps out at a new Duchy of Cornwall housing project in Tretherras(Image: Hugh Hastings/PA Wire)

And royal expert Jennie Bond believes this is an example of William practising what he preaches. The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror: “I think this is a powerful example of William putting his money where his mouth is. He has talked about change being on his agenda, and now he is proving that he’s willing to shake things up in quite a dramatic way.

“He says he wants to be more than a traditional landowner. His goal is to prioritise things that will make people’s lives better. William is all about impact and tangible results.”

The Duchy of Cornwall traces its origins to 1337, when King Edward III established the estate to provide funds for his son and heir. Today, the portfolio encompasses between 2,000 and 3,000 properties spread across 23 counties in England and Wales, covering roughly 130,000 to 140,000 acres.

The Prince of Wales has faced criticism, especially in the past over his crusade to help reduce and end homelessness given he is a member of the Royal Family.

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New Duchy of Cornwall homes are also being built on the Isles of Scilly (Image: Getty Images)

Hitting back, he previously told an ITV documentary on his Homewards project: “”I think everyone having a right to a safe and stable home benefits us all. I come with no other agenda than desperately trying to help people who are in need. And I see that as part of my role, is that, why else would I be here if I’m not using this role properly to influence and help people where I can?”

And Jennie added: “He knows that it’s all very well talking about trying to end homelessness, but he needs to take practical steps to ease the crisis. Critics say that he is just shuffling money from one part of the Duchy of Cornwall to another.

“But he is going to use some of it to create more affordable housing – which is so desperately needed. And there will also be funds for environmental projects which are close to his heart such as restoring peatlands and installing more solar panels on properties in the Duchy.

“It obviously won’t solve all the problems, but he is leading by example. And that is to be admired. I’ve no doubt that he will make further radical changes from tradition when he becomes King.”

SOURCE: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/prince-william-radical-new-move-37194241